Tips for Writing with Kids at Home

As a parent and a classroom teacher I must admit that I’ve noticed there is less time spend on writing with kids in elementary school. Reading and Math seem to take top priority at times due to standardized testing. Then it seems that there is a slight focus on the set grades with Writing exams and focus on that specific format style, which doesn’t always work best for students. There are some ways as parents we can provide our children with opportunities to write for fun!

What do you do as a parent with a child at home to encourage writing?

Provide Writing Materials

Starting from early on having the tools available for our children to write is important. Always have paper, notebooks, notepads, lined paper available for kids to use for writing. When I say writing, I mean creative ideas coming from our children’s minds. Handwriting is a totally different topic for another day. Make sure to have a variety of writing materials available such as sharpened pencils, pens and even crayons and markers.

Provide Writing Inspiration

Finding ways for our child to be inspired about writing can be a challenge. There are ways to encourage them to write for fun. Journaling and story writing are two key ways to get your child writing. Encourage them to keep of list of things they’d like to write about. Adventures can make the best story prompts but they don’t have to be traveling far away. Encourage your child to write about the experiences they have. Backyard adventures can lead to come pretty interesting stories if you let your imagination take over.

Provide Writing Opportunities

Having a specific time during your week after school or weekend for your child to write is important. Journaling can be a fun way to share ideas back in forth in a parent child journal. Working on a story once a week or once a month can help set a goal for your child. Creating a book from an adventure or trip can be fun to do together. It’s our job as parents to show our children how much fun writing can be. Be a role model too!

Draw a Story or Story Map

If your writer is having trouble coming up with an idea, encourage them to draw a picture about something. As they add details to the image, those are their supporting details in the story. They could also create a story map to get ideas going on one specific topic.

Writing Activities featured in Hangout On Air

Here’s my interview with +Debra Eckerling author of Purple Pencil Adventures and Creator of Write On! Online: a community to writers throughout the world. During our Hangout on Air we discussed tips for how to encourage your child to write including a few writing prompts featured in Purple Pencil Adventures. I shared tips from my classroom and after school adventures with my own children. You can find more info about Debra’s book at Purple Pencil Adventures at http://purplepenciladventures.com/ or purchase on Amazon {Affiliate link included}.

Win a Copy of Purple Pencil Adventures

Go on your own Purple Pencil Adventures! Leave a comment below or tag one of us on Twitter @EducatorsSpin or @PurplePencilAdv with the answer to “Why you would want to go on a Purple Pencil Adventure with your child” for a chance to WIN a free copy from Debra. Deadline is September 15. Take a peek at the video below to discover what this book is all about!

After School Linky Party

Now it’s your turn to share what you’ve been doing with your kids at home after school. If you’re a blogger link up your idea. If you’re a parent just leave us a comment below of what you’ve been up to, we’ve love to hear from you! Come join the FUN!

Link up your School-Age Post (Ages 5 and up)including Crafts, Activities, Playtime and Adventuresthat you are doing to enrich your children’s lives during the school year! When linking up, please take a moment to visit and comment on at least one post linked up before yours. By linking up you’re giving permission for us to share on our After School Pinterest Board and feature an Image on our After School Party in the upcoming weeks!

Excellent tips. I admit that "planned writing" never worked in our house, but writing in the context of other games works well. For example, my daughter loves making teeny-tiny mini-books for her Playmobil dolls or write down real and pretend recipes.